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Monster 3D README.TXT
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Release Notes
-------------
This is version 1.08 of the Monster 3D driver.
New Features
------------
The new drivers contain several features which make game play more
enjoyable. The gamma panel has been enhanced along with the technology
demonstrations.
This driver has been tuned for Pentium Pro processors.
Overview
--------
The purpose of this floppy is to provide a central location for all drivers
provided for Monster 3D. This disk contains only the drivers files and
the Monster 3D panel files.
Please read the Hardware Installation and Software Installation
instructions to get the Monster 3D card and drivers on your Windows
95 system.
This release is based on 3DFX GLIDE release number 2.1.1 and 2.3.
Hardware Installation
---------------------
These installation instructions are for placing the Monster 3D hardware
board into your PC system.
1. Open your computer and find an open PCI slot.
2. Remove the back plate from the free slot and save the screw.
3. Place the Monster 3D graphics board into that slot.
4. Screw the card in.
5. Replace the computer chassis.
6. Use the pass-thru cable to connect the Monster 3D graphics card
to your current VGA card. Place the VGA monitor cable into the
Monster 3D card.
7. Power up your system and run Windows 95.
8. Continue to Section 1 of the Software Installation if this is
the first time you have installed the Monster 3D card.
Software Installation
---------------------
Recommended Installation Order
------------------------------
The following are recommended installation orders for Windows 95:
Windows 95
----------
1. Diamond or other Windows 95 Video Controller
2. Monster 3D Drivers
3. Microsoft DirectX 3
For the Software Installation if you are looking at the New Hardware
dialog in Windows 95 then read section 2 of the Software Installation.
If the Monster 3D card shows up in the ? Other section of the Device
Manager or you are updating drivers follow the instruction in section 2.
If you are looking at the Update Device Drivers Install Wizard in the
OSR pack for Windows 95 then read section 3.
Software Installation: Section 1
--------------------------------
These installation instructions apply when you are updating the Monster 3D
drivers or the Device Manager shows the Monster 3D card in the ? Other
section.
Please follow these steps to get the drivers updated on your Windows
95 system:
1. Start Windows 95.
2. Right-click on My Computer and choose Properties.
3. Choose the Device Manager tab and double click on MULTIMEDIA.
4. Double click on the Monster 3D PCI Video Multimedia Device.
5. Click on the Driver tab and then click the Change Driver... button.
Monster 3D PCI Video Multimedia Device should be highlighted.
6. Click on the Have Disk... button.
7. Type the path to the Monster 3D drivers disk. You can also use
the Browse button to find the drive and disk.
Enter: X:\ where X is your floppy drive.
8. After the files have been copied, click the OK button to Restart
your computer.
Software Installation: Section 2
--------------------------------
These installation instructions apply when you are looking at the
New Hardware Found dialog box.
Please follow these steps to get the drivers installed on your Windows
95 system:
1. Windows 95 displays a dialog box indicating:
"New Hardware Found - PCI Video Multimedia Device"
Choose to install drivers from a disk provided by the hardware
manufacturer.
2. Type the appropriate path to the Monster 3D Windows 95 drivers
(normally X:, where X is the drive where you placed the Monster
3D disk). Drivers will be copied to the appropriate directory.
3. Choose Yes when asked to restart the system.
Software Installation: Section 2
--------------------------------
These installation instructions apply when you are looking at the
Update Device Driver Install Wizard.
If you have the OSR2 or later installed then the Update Device Driver
Install Wizard is invoked when Windows 95 first runs with the Monster 3D
card in the system. In this case follow these instructions:
1. Windows 95 displays the Update Device Driver Wizard.
2. Make sure to use the Yes (Recommended) option.
Click on the Next button.
3. Click on the other locations button and type the appropriate
path to the Monster 3D Windows 95 drivers (normally X:, where
X is the drive where you place the Monster 3D disk). Drivers
will be copied to the appropriate directory.
4. Choose Yes when asked to restart the system.
File List
---------
After the Plug & Play install, the following files can be found in the
Windows 95 system directory (C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM):
File Description
---- -----------
SST1INIT.DLL Dynamic library for SST1 chip
GLIDE.DLL Dynamic library for GLIDE API
FXMEMMAP.VXD VXD to control pass-thru mode
DD3DFX.DRV DirectDraw 2 driver
DD3DFX16.DLL Direct3D 16-bit driver
DD3DFX32.DLL Direct3D 32-bit driver
MONHLP16.DLL Monster 3D help information used in panels
MNSTRSET.DLL Monster 3D setup panel
MNSTRNFO.DLL Monster 3D information panel
_MNSTRNF.LOC Internationalization file for information panel
_MNSTRST.LOC Internationalization file for information panel
After the Plug & Play install, the following files can be found in the
Windows 95 directory (C:\WINDOWS):
File Description
---- -----------
MOJO.EXE Version program for technical support
MNSTRTST.EXE Test application for resolution, refresh, and gamma
MONSTR3D.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
DMMLOGO.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
CYL.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
CYL1.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
CYL2.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
SPH.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
SPH1.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
SPH2.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
TORUS.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
TORUS1.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
TORUS2.3DF Bitmap for MNSTRTST.EXE
Running MOJO.EXE
----------------
Mojo will not run without DirectDraw 2 installed. If DirectDraw 2 is
not installed then a dialog appears stating that DDRAW.DLL cannot be
found. To fix this problem install DirectDraw 2.
Mojo is a version application. It will printout the version information
about the Monster 3D board. An example follows:
HARDWARE
Virtual Base Address: 0x???????? (depends on system)
Physical Base Address: 0x???????? (depends on system)
PCI Device Number: 0x? (depends on system)
Vendor ID: 0x121a
Device ID: 0x1
FBI Revision: 1 or 2
FBI Memory: 2 MB
FBI Video Display Type: 0x0
Scan-Line Interleaved? no
TMU Revision: 1
Number TMUs: 1
SYSTEM LIBRARIES
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\GLIDE.DLL 263168 1/21/97 Glide(tm) Version 2.1.1
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SST1INIT.DLL 132096 1/21/97 InitCode $Revision: 5 $
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DD3DFX.DRV 7712 5/12/97 4.03.00.2108
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DD3DFX16.DLL 4320 4/16/97 4.03.00.2108
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DD3DFX32.DLL 120320 5/12/97 4.03.00.2108
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\FXMEMMAP.VXD 6636 4/22/97 4.03.00.2108
Known Limitations
-----------------
The known limitations follows:
Gamma Test in 800x600
---------------------
In 800x600 mode the gamma test tool only displays the two spheres.
The cylinder and torus do not get displayed.
This is not a bug. It is a feature of the test tool. 800x600 cannot
support a Z Buffer due to limitations in the amount of memory on the
Monster 3D card. Since the gamma tool does not perform software hidden
surface removal it cannot display the cylinder, torus and spheres
properly in the same frame without a Z Buffer. Thus the cylinder and
torus are displayed only when the Z Buffer is available, i.e., in
512x384, 640x400 and 640x480.
Refresh Rate in GLIDE Games
---------------------------
Refresh rate is completely under the control of the GLIDE games.
However, the refresh selection in the panel sets an MSDOS environment
variable that modifies the refresh rate according to the user
selection at 640x480 only. Click the Apply to DOS... check button to
reboot the system and apply the refresh rate to GLIDE games.
Gamma Correction in GLIDE Games
------------------------------
Gamma correction is completely under the control of the GLIDE games.
However, the gamma selection in the panel sets an MSDOS environment variable
that modifies the red, green, and blue gamma values according to the user
selection at 640x480 only. Click the Apply to DOS... check button to
reboot the system and apply the gamma selection to GLIDE games.
Monster 3D Settings Panel
-------------------------
The "Test" button in the gamma area of the Monster 3D Settings panel
purposely uses 640x480 at 60 Hz. This way the user can test gamma with
a consistent resolution and refresh rate that works correctly on any
VGA monitor.
The "Test" button in the resolution/refresh area brings the display up
in the selected resolution/refresh using the current selected gamma.
The "Test" buttons effectively change the settings before running the
test application. Therefore the meaning of Cancel changes to be the
last time any "Test" button was used.
NOTE:
Glide games have control over resolution/refresh and gamma. Thus,
resolution/refresh and gamma selections in the Monster 3D panel may
not apply to Glide games.
NOTE:
Gamma correction does not apply to the following resolutions:
512x384 at 85 Hz and greater
640x400 at 85 Hz and greater
640x480 at 85 Hz and greater
800x600 at 60 Hz and greater
Stealth 64 Video GT Drivers
---------------------------
The S3 968/868 chip contains a bug. The bug in the chip may cause problems
with the Monster 3D card when running the GT drivers. The bug is that the
968/868 states that it requires 32 Meg of frame buffer memory when it
actually decodes 64 Meg of frame buffer memory on PCI. Sometimes the
Monster 3D card gets mapped by Windows 95 into the 968 upper 32 Meg of
decode address. This problem causes a system hang. To duplicate the
problem or figure out if you have the problem you can run the test
application MOJO.EXE and if it hangs then you have the problem.
The fix for this problem is to remap the Monster 3D card. To do this
follow these directions:
1. Download the drivers from the BBS or the WEB. The drivers contain
two files that can be used to remap the memory addresses of the
Monster 3D card. These files are DOS4GW.EXE and FXREMAP.EXE. Place
these two files into your windows directory, e. g., C:\WINDOWS.
2. Edit the AUTOEXEC.BAT file and place FXREMAP.EXE in it. For
example the following line added to AUTOEXEC.BAT works for most
systems:
C:\WINDOWS\FXREMAP.EXE
Direct3D
--------
Some games do not find the dd3dfx drivers. They only run on the
software version of Direct3D or the Direct3D HAL associated with the
Primary DirectDraw device.
When running the DirectX SDK applications, you cannot get to the menus
because the 3DFX Direct3D does not turn off pass-thru mode for a menu
command.
Technology Demos and the Joystick
---------------------------------
The 3DFX Flip/Rotate demos will not work properly if your system has a
joystick port configured without a joystick connected. To remedy the problem,
either connect a joystick to the port or disable and/or remove the port from
your system configuration.
Contacting DIAMOND
==================
DIAMOND - U.S.A.
----------------
Postal Service : Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc.
2880 Junction Avenue
San Jose, CA 95134
Voice (Main) : (408) 325-7000
FAX (Main) : (408) 325-7070
FAX (TechSppt) : (408) 325-7171
Fax-On-Demand : (800) 380-0030
BBS (to 14400) : (408) 325-7080
BBS (to 28800) : (408) 325-7175
WWW : http://www.diamondmm.com
FTP : ftp://ftp.diamondmm.com
Voice (TechSppt): [M-F 5-7; Sat 8-4 Pacific]
ISDN Prods : (408) 325-7110
Fire GL Prods : (408) 325-7120
General / Other : (408) 325-7100
Tech Support E-mail Accounts:
SCSI Adapters : fireport@diamondmm.com
ISDN Prods : isdn@diamondmm.com
Fire GL Prods : cad_cam@diamondmm.com
General / Other : techsupt@diamondmm.com
CompuServe
Forum : (type) GO DIAMOND
DIAMOND - Europe
----------------
Postal Service : SPEA Software GmbH, a Diamond Multimedia Company
Moosstr.18b
82319 Starnberg, Germany
Voice (Main) : +49-8151-2660 (Germany)
: +44-1189-44440 (UK)
Voice (TechSppt): +49-8151-266 330 (Germany)
: +44-1189-4444 44 (UK/English)
: +44-1189-4444 33 (UK/French)
FAX (Support) : +49-8151-266 331 (Germany)
BBS (to 28800) : +49-8151-266 333 (Germany)
: +44-1189-4444 15 (UK)
BBS (ISDN, x.75): +49-8151-266 334 (Germany)
CompuServe : GO DIMDEURO
WWW : http://www.diamondmm.de
All product names listed are trademarks or copyrights of their
respective owners.
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Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. (c) 1993-97, All Rights Reserved
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